Pyroxylin plastic tab



Dec. 11, 1934. c F RAND PYROXYLIN PLASTIC TA'E Filed Dec, 25, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 1 M INVENTOR BY 63 1 M62100 A ITORNEI'S Dec. 11, 1934.- c FRAND. V 1,983,878

PYROXYLIN PLASTIC TAB Filed Dec. 23, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 z BY 0r?uromvzw Patented Dec. 11, 1934 v UNITED- STATES PATENTv OFFICE 1,983,878rraomm rms'rrc '1AB Charles F. Band, North Tonawanda, N. Y. ApplicationDecember 23, 1931, Serial No. 582,787

1 Claim This invention relates to pyroxylin plastic tabs adapted to beapplied to an article and is more particularly intended to be embodiedin a pyroxylin plastic tab for a record card or the like in which thetab projects upwardly from the edge of the record card and is adapted tocarry a slip of paper upon which the index word, letter or otherreference character is printed. It will be understood that the inventioncomprehends index tabs or the like made from cellulose acetate as wellas those made from cellulose nitrate.

The invention is shown more particularly in connection with a recordcard to which the tab is adapted to be applied, the tab being providedwith legs which straddle the opposite faces of the card and form apocket which receives a slip of paper on which the reference charactercan be printed. In attaching such a tab difilculty has been experiencedin properly positioning the tab upon the card. If the tab is applied soas to embrace too much of the card, the pocket formed is too small toreceive the slips or strips of paper supplied with the tab for indexingpurposes and if the tab is not placed far enough down upon the indexcard not only is this pocket too high but the tab itself also projectstoo high from the card, and is in danger of being torn ch in opening andclosing the drawer in which the index cards are kept.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide ashoulder in the index tab which forms a catch or stop by which the tabis properly and accurately positioned. on the index card. Such shouldernot only insures such accurate positioning but also avoids the necessityof exercising any particular care in applying the tabs since the tabsneed only be moistened, slipped over the edge of the card until thecatch shoulder is engaged and then held until a bond is effected betweenthe moistened glue of the tab and the side of the index card.

Another object is to provide such a tab which can be made in a widevariety of shapes and forms to meet all filing req ements and which canalso be made in the form of individual tabs and also tabs which are sold,in the form of a long strip and then cut of! by the user in lengthswhich he may require. Other objects are to provide such a shoulder whichis cheaply and easily provided on the tab without appreciable increasein the cost of manufacture, and therefore can be sold in competitionwith pyroxylin plastic tabs which do not have this feature. In theaccompanying drawings! rious forms and Figure 1 is a perspective view ofan index card having a pyroxylin plastic tab made and applied inaccordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2--2, Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified form of theinvention.

Figure 4 is a section taken on line 4-4, Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a strip of tabs, this strip followingthe form of the invention shown in Fig. can be cut to any lengths theuser may desire.

Figure 6 is a. view similar to Figs. 1 and 3 and showing a furthermodified form of the invention in which the upwardly projecting end ofthe index tab is offset with reference to the card.

Figure 'l is a section taken on line 7-7, Fig. 6.

Figure 8 is a further modified form of the invention in which theupwardly projecting part of the tab is not only offset but is alsoarranged at an angle so as to be more visible from above.

Figures 9-13 inclusive are perspective views of difierent modified formsof the invention applied to a strip from which the tabs can be cut.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a tab having a stop shoulder cementedthereto in contradistinction to the integral formation of the tab asshown in the other forms of the invention.

Figure 15 is a section taken on line 15-l5, Fi 14 Figure 16 is aperspective view showing the form of the invention shown in Figs. 14 and15 applied to a strip from which the tabs are adapted to be cut.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts in the several views.

While the invention can be embodied in vaa large number of modifiedforms are shown in the accompanying drawings, each of the forms iscomposed in general of a piece of pyroxylin plastic which is folded overto form two legs 20 and 21 which are adapted to straddle the edge of anindex card 22. Each 0! these legs consists of a bottom portion 23 whichis adapted to be cemented to the corresponding side of the index card 22and the upper portions of these legs are joined to form an upwardlyprojecting portion which forms a pocket 24 into which a strip of paperor the like is adapted to be inserted. On this strip (not shown) isprinted-the usual indexing number, word or other character and since thetab is made of pyroxylin plastic, this word or reference character isvisible through the transparent sides of the tab. When the tabs areseparately formed as illustrated in Figs. 1, 8, 6, 8 and 14 1 but beingof such form that they 10 the attachiri portions 23 of the legs arepreferably enlarged so that when these parts are cemented to the card 22a greater area of contact is provided and a more reliable attachment issecured. 7 It often occurs, however, that the user of the tabs requiresdifferent lengths for different purposes and under which conditions thetabs are made in the form of a continuous strip as illustrated in Figs.5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 16. When the tabs are so formed the user cancut the strip into lengths, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figs.and 9 and can cut the tab to any length he may desire.

The present invention is directed to the form of the tab and any methodcan be used for securing the attaching portions 23 of the tabs to thecard, such as by stapling, as is now commonly used. However, forconvenience in attaching I prefer to provide the inner faces of theattaching portions 23 with a transparent water soluble adhesive layer orcoating 25 in the manner disclosed in either of my co=pendingapplications Ser. No. 455,943, filed May 26, 1930, or Ser. No. 528,493,filed December 2, 1931. These applications describe methods whichprovide a water soluble coating for a pyroxylin plastic tab or the likeand which is, at the same time, transparent so that the reading matteron the card is visible through the attaching tab. By providing theadhesive coating in water soluble form all that the user need to do isto moisten the surface of this coating and apply the tab to the card.

The present invention relates primarily to the provision of a stopshoulder orcatch to insure the proper position of the index tab upon thecard 22. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 this shoulder is provided by punchingan inturned lip or lips 26 in one side of one leg of the tab immediatelyabove the line at which the tab should be set a when properly placedupon the card 22. As

' best shown in Fig. 2 this inturned lip 26 forms a shoulder which isadapted to engage the top' of the card 22 and limit the downwardmovement of the tab upon the card. It is therefore ap'pare'ntthat'inapplying the tab all the user need to.do;,} is to moisten the watersolubletransparentadhesive coating 25 and thenset'the tab over the,edg'eof the card 22 until the lips 26 engage the edge of the card. Upon thenpressing the sides of the tab against the card a firm bond will beobtained between the tab and the card and the card is ready for use.SLnce the lips 26 form an accurate gage the pocket 24 will be of exactlythe right size to receive the index strip of paper or the like and alsothe upper part of the tab will project up from the card to exactly thedesired extent. As shown the lips 26 are formed after the tabhas beenfolded and consequently a lip 27 is also formed in the opposite leg ofthe tab. It is apparent, however, that this lip 27, which serves nofunction, can be eliminated by punching the lips 26 while the tab isstill in a flattened or unbent' condition.

Instead of forming the lips 26 within the it is apparent that these lipscan be provided at the ends of the tabs. Such lips as indicated at 28 inFigs.'3 and 4 will function in the same manner as the lips-26 in 'Figs..1 and 2-and if these lips are formed after the tab is folded,inoperative lips 29 will be formed in the opposite leg of the tab whichcan, however, be eliminated by forming the lips 28 before the legs ofthe tab are folded over.

In Fig. 5 the form of the invention shown tabs .in Fig. 12 to very thincards the opposite wall in Figs. 1 and 2, that is the provision of thelips 26 in the center of the tabs, is shown as applied to a long strip30 which can be out to any desired length by the user, as indicated bythe dotted lines 31. This long strip is also provided with a layer ofadhesive along its attaching portions 23 as in the other forms of theinvention.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is illustrated a form of the invention in which theupwardly projecting part of the tab is offset as illustrated at 32. Inso offsetting the upper portion of the tab a shoulder 33 is formed whichrests upon the upper edge of the card 22 and forms a stop shoulder whichlimits the downward movement of the tab upon the card 22 and insures itsproper positioning thereon. It is apparent that this form of theinvention avoids the necessity of providing inturned lips on the tab asis required in the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 1-5.

It is apparent that the upwardly projecting portion of the form ofthe'tabs shown in Figs. 6 and 7 can be formed so as to be arranged at anangle as indicated at 34 so that the strip of paper within the pocket 24is more easily visible in using the index record. In other respects thisform of the invention is identical to that shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

In Fig. 9 is illustrated a strip tab in which one leg of the strip isformed to provide an offset shoulder 35 which forms a stop gage inattaching the tab to a card. With this form the upwardly projecting part36 can be either arranged in a vertical position or can be disposed atan angle as illustrated in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 10 is illustrated another form of the invention in which one legof the tab is provided with an inwardly extending crimp 37, this crimpforming a stop shoulder which limits the downward movement of the tab on.the card 22 and determines the position of the tab upon the card. Theother leg of the tab is formed to provide a horizontal shelf 38 whichconnects the attaching portion 23 of this leg with an angularly disposedupper portion 39.

.37 as illustrated in Fig. 10,.it is appparent that this crimp,asillustrated at 40 in Fig. 11, can

be made wider-and rest upon the shelf 38. This.

form provides a tabwhich is somewhat stronger than the form shown inFig. 10.

A simplifiedfform of the invention is shown in Fig. 12 in which one legof the tab is provided with an inwardly extending crimp 41 whichis'adapted to contactv with the opposite leg of the tab. This crimp, ofcourse, forms a stop shoulder as in the other forms of the invention. Inthis form the upwardly projecting portion of the tab can be verticallydisposed, as illustrated, or it can be arranged at an angle so as to bemore visible from above. I

In applying the form of the invention shown from the crimp 41' is formedto provide a groove or corrugation 42 which receives the crimpedshoulder 41. By making this corrugation 42 of sufficient size the legsof the tab can be brought sufliciently close together to contact andform a good bond with an index card 22 of any thick ness.

Instead offorming the gage shoulder integrally with the tab asillustrated in the other forms of the invention, this shoulder can bemade in the form of a separate strip 43 of pyroxylin plastic or thelike. This strip 43 is then cemented to the inner side of one leg of thetab in proper position to form a stop shoulder. Any means can beemployed for cementing this strip but preferably one face of the stripis coated with a suitable solvent of pyroxylin plastic, such asmonoethyl ether or ethylene glycol, butyl, ethyl or amyl acetates, ormethanol or the like and this strip is then pressed against the leg ofthe tab. By this means the strip 43 is firmly united to the tab andforms a stop shoulder for limiting the downward movement of the tab uponthe card 22 and insures the proper positioning of the tab thereon.

In the form'oi the invention shown in Figs. 14 and 15, as in the otherforms of the invention, a layer of colored material 44 can be applied tothe inside of the tab at the bend or upper end thereof. This layer ofcolored material 44 extends the full length of the tab but does notinterfere with the ready visibility of the strip of paper arranged inthe pocket 24. The colors contained in the layers 44 can be varied andare useful as an aid in indexing, all tabs having a red color at theirbends having one indication and all tabs having a yellow color at theirbends having another indexing indication, for example. By the provisionof these layers of colored material it is apparent that the use of filesis greatly expedited and at the same time no visibility is lost throughthe provision of this layer of colored material even though the same maybe entirely opaque.

In Fig. 16 is illustrated a form of the invention in which the strip 43is applied to a continuous length of a strip tab from which the tabs maybe cut to any desired length. In other respects this form of theinvention is identical to that described in Figs. 14 and 15.

It is apparent that the invention can be greatly varied as to detailsand while I have shown a large number of modifications it is obviousthat the invention is susceptible to a large number of furthermodifications and variations without departing from the spirit of theinvention, the primary intent of which is the provision of a stopshoulder within a pyroxylin plastic tab which limits its downwardmovement and insures the proper positioning of the tab and insures theprovision of a pocket-24 of proper size to receive the strip of paperand also insures that the tab is set far enough down upon the card toavoid interference in opening and closing the drawers in which theseindex cards are usually placed.

I claim:

A tab of the character described, comprising a piece of sheet materialbent to form two legs, the end portions of the two legs formingattaching portions adapted to be secured to the opposite sides of a cardor the like, and the portion of said tab adjacent said bend beingadapted to project outwardly from the edge of said card, the outwardlyprojecting portion of said tab being offset laterally relative to saidattaching portions whereby one leg is provided with a ridgeperpendioular to the attaching portion of said leg and extending thefull length of said tab and adapted to cooperate with the edge of saidcard toinsure the proper positioning of. the attaching portions ofsaidlegs on opposite sides of said card and insuring the predeterminedprojection of the other part of said tab beyond the edge of said card,and the outwardly projecting portion of said tab being inclined relativeto said attaching portions.

CHARLES F. RAND.

